Page 34 of Coming Home to Sturcombe Bay
Cassie was struggling to keep a straight face. “Well, maybe not right away,” she cautioned.
“Of course not.” Young Ben was proud of his greater knowledge. “Babies take nine months to come. So do calves. Horses take a whole year, but pigs take less than four months.”
Lisa was clearly having the same problem as Cassie with suppressing her laughter. “Very good,” she approved. “I think I’d rather be a pig.”
“Why?”
A silent plea for help.
“Because . . . pigs can eat lots and lots,” Cassie suggested. “And they can roll around in the mud and their mummies never tell them off for getting dirty.”
“Oh.”
That seemed to be a sufficient answer, to everyone’s relief.
* * *
Liam took the final wicket of the forty overs, leaving the visitors on one hundred and forty-three for eight. The win put the Sturcombe team at second in the league. Luke slapped him on the back as they strolled up to the pavilion.
“Not bad, little brother. You deserve a beer for that.”
The two teams had gathered to toast each other with cool pints and to dissect the game.
“That was a great boundary shot in the tenth over. Poor old Colin didn’t stand a chance.”
“Couldn’t expect him to.” Neville Perkin always had to get a dig in. “Lumbering around the outfield like an old carthorse.”
Colin took the teasing in good part. “I’m built for stamina, not speed,” he retorted. “Anyway, you can talk, after you dropped that absolute sitter!”
“Daddy, Daddy, look!” Robyn had raced over to him and was tugging at his hand, bouncing up and down with excitement. “Auntie Cassie drawed my tappoo.”
Liam smiled as he picked up his little daughter and settled her on his hip. “That’s a very fine tattoo,” he approved. “Is that another one round your mouth?”
The child giggled. “Don’t be silly, Daddy. It’s chocolate ice-cream.”
“Ah . . .”
“Auntie Cassie drawed tappoos on Noah and Ben and Amy too. And Justin and Paige and Sophie.”
“All those tattoos, eh? It sounds like you kept her busy between you all. Did she have time to watch the cricket?”
“Of course she did. And anyway, she didn’t mind.” Those angelic blue eyes were shining up into his. “She’s really nice.”
Richard Channing had strolled over to join the teams. “Hey Richard.” Colin gestured with his beer glass towards the picnic blanket where the Channing and Ellis women were sitting. “Isn’t that your daughter Cassie over there?”
“That’s right.”
“I thought I recognised her. So is she home for good now?”
Richard smiled wryly. “Ah, well, we’ll have to wait and see about that.”
Liam felt his shoulders stiffen. Stupid — of course she would be leaving again. He’d known that from the start. Probably sooner rather than later. She’d made a life for herself on the other side of the world — she’d only come home to see her grandmother.
Not that it mattered to him. He had a life too, and she hadn’t been a part of it for ten years.
Robyn must have sensed his sudden tension. “Daddy?” Her eyes were wide.
“Sorry, sweetie. Just a bit of a twinge in my knee.” It didn’t matter — she could go or stay. It was no concern of his. “Come on, let’s go and see if Granny and Auntie Julia are ready to go home.”
